Ashot III of Armenia

Ashot III "the Merciful" of Armenia (905-977) was the king of Bagratid Armenia from 953 to 977, succeeding Abas II of Armenia and preceding Smbat II of Armenia.

Biography
Ashot was born in 905, and was the son of Smbat I of Armenia. A member of the Armenian Apostolic Church and a scion of the House of Bagrationi, Ashot was raised a Christian. He succeeded his brother Abas I of Armenia on his death in 977, and Ashot launched a failed campaign to free Dvin from Abbasid Caliphate rule in the first year of his reign. When Emperor John I of Byzantium fought the Arabs, Ashot remained neutral, but he gave 10,000 troops to the Byzantines to accompany them on their campaign in Mesopotamia. He died in 977 and was succeeded by Smbat II of Armenia.